Nigeria is set to send its first citizen to space through a partnership between the Space Exploration & Research Agency (SERA) and the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA). This collaboration will secure a seat for a Nigerian on an upcoming Blue Origin New Shepard suborbital spaceflight, funded by SERA. The initiative is open to Nigerians aged 18 and above and is part of a broader effort by SERA and Blue Origin to include individuals from underrepresented nations in space exploration. Nigeria’s Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Uche Godfrey Nnaji, and NASRDA’s Director General, Dr. Matthew Adepoju, hailed the partnership as a testament to Nigeria’s growing role in the global space community. Despite enacting a National Space Policy in 2000, it has yet to make much progress in its space exploratory efforts. With this milestone, it will be looking to get those efforts back on track.
SOURCE: TECHCABAL
